Deactivated WWII Vichy Government / Nazi MAS-36 Rifle

This is a rare WWII French MAS-36 rifle that was made whilst France was under German control. After the successful invasion of France in 1940, the Nazi's installed the Vichy Government to govern and police the population whilst under German occupation. French arms manufacturers were then forced to produce weapons for the German war effort. Under Nazi supervision French arms company Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne continued to make the MAS rifle completing serial number batches J and K but only an estimated 4500 from the L batch. This rifle is from that batch and is number L 2316  dating to around mid 1944. It has matching numbers with exception of the bolt and comes with its cruciform spike bayonet. The MAS-36 was designated as the Gewehr 242(f) and issued to German troops stationed in France and units on coastal defenses.